LETTER FROM THE SUNDERLAND ECHO - THANK YOU TEACHER SOUVENIR ISSUE JUNE 2020

Dear Parent/Guardian,

I have often opened letters with words like these, but I doubt that I have ever meant them quite as sincerely as today, I hope this message finds you and your loved ones well, and your families are coping as well as can be expected during the lockdown. I know this can be particularly hard with young children.

At this time in the school calendar in previous years, I have written to the parents of school pupils to tell them about our popular School Leavers souvenir editions. But this year I want to do something a little different. I'd like to give every child leaving their school this year, the chance to say a special thank you to their teacher, in print. We will publish a favourite photo of your child alongside their own thank you message in our July special edition.

Your teachers have been working above and beyond over the last few weeks to make sure that children are supported as best they can be while navigating the challenge of home schooling. It has been tough - and none more so than on the children themselves who have found it difficult not to be in school with their classmates and teachers.

Transitioning through to secondary school is a milestone in any young students’ life but one that is all the more special this year given the uncertainty we have faced in terms of going back into the classroom.

Teachers really have been on the frontline so this year we are organising a special Thank You Teacher 2020 supplement to praise the hard work of those who have supported you and your families during this unprecedented time as you prepare for secondary school. And we need your help to celebrate their hard work and dedication.

In order for your child to feature you will need to send us a picture of your/their favourite picture of themselves and a short message of thanks for their teacher. Full details of how to do this are included at the bottom of this letter.

We will publish as many photographs as we can divide into schools later in July. We will also contact you in advance to inform you of the date the souvenir special will feature. And to make sure that your child’s teacher sees the message we will also post out a free copy to their school as well.

For your child to be featured in the 2020 Thank You Teacher supplement please email a photograph of your child, in whatever pose and clothes they would like to be celebrated, along with the school and class they are in to echo.news@northeast-press.co.uk along with no more than 50 words about the teacher they would like to give a special thank you to and why by Friday June 19.  Please title the email THANK YOU TEACHER.

Please note we cannot guarantee that any photos received after this date will be featured in the supplement.

Please note:

* Pictures must be between 1MB and 5MB in size, in colour only, and have no filters

* Pictures can be landscape or portrait
 
* Pictures must be of your child / children only

* Children can wear leavers' hoodies, uniform, prom outfit or whatever they wish

 
* You must include the child's first name and school as well as your contact details and the name of the teacher you would like to say a special thank you to.
 
* You must have the permission of the photographer to share the picture
 
* No more than 50 words about the teacher they would like to thank and why.
 
Yours faithfully
 
Gary Oliver
Editor in chief North East